Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill,
But their strong nerves at last must yield,
They tame but one another still.
-- James Shirley
Different situations in life test us in different ways. Some remain invincible and some falter away. Joban Pagi was a notorious thug and robber. However his life saw the light and the he was to change forever.
Joban Pagi of Vadtal, a village in Gujarat was the head of a huge gang of thugs who conducted their raids all over India. Unlike other criminals who took to robbery because of social injustice met to them, Joban Pagi had no such grudge. He wanted to be the best in this profession.
Joban Pagi was the son of a villager who lived in Vadtal. His father Bhayaji Soramji earned his living as an agriculturist while his mother Vakhatba looked after cattle and domestic affairs.
As the soldiers of various rulers passed through the village they plundered and looted the villagers. The soldiers of Gaekwad in particular were the most fearless in this act. As a child Joban Pagi watched all these atrocities over his villagers. This implanted in him an ambition to rob the elite and powerful.
He targeted the treasury carts of the Government of Gaekwad while they were taken to Baroda from all different parts of the Kingdom. To protect the treasuries the Government of Gaekwad took stringent steps but Joban Pagi always got what he came for.
Along with his gang members he raided towns like Petlad, particularly during the marriage season. He didn’t even spare Kashiabhai –a government collector of revenue on agency basis.
Joban Pagi and his gang members could easily hide themselves in the ravines of Mahisagar. This place was so tedious that no army could search it. The government search parties wouldn’t enter and search pilgrim resorts, monasteries and temples. So they comfortably hide the stolen treasures and themselves in the monastery in Vadtal. The priest – Narayangiri received enough money for showing auspicious timings for adventure according to the almanac to Joban Pagi.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan accompanied by hundreds of Kathis and their horses were to stay for a few days at nearby town of Dabhan to perform a grand sacrifice. This news reached Joban Pagi and it was a golden opportunity to steal some of the finest horses. Manki, the horse of Shree Hari could run faster than any bird. Joban Pagi had his eye on Manki. He stealthily entered the provisional stable made for the horses. Here he saw Shree Hari feeding and caressing all horses in His different forms.
This sight changed his life forever. He was convinced about the Godhead of Shree Hari. He returned back without stealing anything and next day surrendered himself to Shree Hari forever.
Government of Gaekwad had issued orders to arrest him. They wouldn’t believe about his change of heart and the new way of life. The intervention of Shree Hari and his supreme saints persuaded Sayajirao Gaekwad to declare amnesty on him. Reconciliation followed and Sayajirao showed friendly attitude, but he was not ready to believe in the legendary tactics of stealing by Joban Pagi and challenged him to enter the palace and steal his most aggressive horse that would kick and kill any unknown person who would even touch him.
Joban Pagi accepted the challenge. At nighthe dressed like the king and using some anesthesia he rode away the horse from the palace. The ruler who was awe-struck by this performance became his most intimate friend. He was convinced that Joban Pagi had given up the profession of robbery. The hand that wielded a sword had now the rosary there. He was now a follower of Shree Hari living the Swaminarayan way of life.
At times Joban Pagi proved to an efficient manager. Shree Hari decided to celebrate the festival of the Swing of Flowers – Fuldol at Vadtal on a grand scale and sent Swami Brahmanand to Vadtal for making all the arrangements. It was also to be the festival of sprinkling colorful water and red and white powder. Arrangements had to be made for camping thousands of followers and also for feeding them. Upon the request from Brahmanand Swami, Joban Pagi promised to make all such arrangement.
For this purpose he went straight to Kashiyabhai at Petlad. Tremors of terror spread in the town. Kashiabhai thought that Joban Pagi had come for looting the town. So he hid himself in the spacious mansion. On seeing this Joban Pagi announced: “Kashabhai, I haven’t come to kill or collect valuables. Come out I want to tell you something.”
When Kashiabhai came out he said: “Shree Hari is to celebrate Fuldol and Colour festival on a grand scale at Vadtal. Thousands of participants will be visitors. As a devotee of Shree Hari you are to make all arrangements for their boarding and lodging.”Kashiabhai expressed his pleasure to take up such service. Being a very influential man he made all such arrangements from Petlad and the surrounding villages.
Shree Hari was pleased with the excellent arrangement made by Joban Pagi for the festival. When Shree Hari blessed him and asked him for boons, he bowed down and said: “O Lord, bless this land so that in the area between the river Mahi and the river Sabarmati no man or animal should be without food or water and may all persons dying within this area never go to hell.” Shree Hari granted these two boons.
Stealing was quite common at religious gatherings and thieves were easily caught by Joban Pagi.
Shree Hari enjoyed playing the game of hide and seek. During the game Shree Hari tried to hide under the water but Joban Pagi always found Him.
Inspired by Joban Pagi’s new way of life many other gang members gave up their criminal activities and became followers of Shree Hari. Joban Pagi’s aunt Kadvi Kaki was a witch. When her black magic failed over Shree Hari she too surrendered and became His follower.
The transformation from a criminal to a devotee was visible in his actions. Once he saw an old man wounded. He stopped and dressed his wounds. He then took the old man to his residence and asked him to rest.
The cow herder Hira came to Joban Pagi for help. Two hundred cows from his herd were stolen by two thugs, one Yakub Khan and other Alla Rakha. Angered by this Joban Pagi fought the thugs and recovered the cattle.
When the famous Swaminarayan temple was being built, he gifted away all the money and ornaments he had collected by robbing and killing innumerable persons. Besides he donated spacious land for the construction of the temple.
When Joban Pagi was fifty six years old, Shree Hari left for his eternal abode – Akshardham. To cherish the holy memories of Shree Hari, he kept a vial of the Lords holy dust that touched His feet. At every meal he would place a particle of this sand on his tongue. He lived up till the age of eighty six.
His beautiful statue stands in Jnan Baug near Vadtal temple and all visitors pay their tribute to him there. The residence of Joban Pagi has been carefully preserved at Vadtal.